Colourful Jayne clear winner

WELL DONE: Jayne Bruce, left, with her sister Kate at last year's awards where they were both finalists. PHOTO/COURTESY MARK COOTE

A Masterton woman has won the People's Choice Award in the IHC Art awards winning the most votes through Facebook voting.

Jayne Bruce, 31, secured 456 votes with her oil painting Circles in Rainbow Land, outstripping her two nearest rivals Peter Chou, of Christchurch and Baldric Chan, of Auckland.

Ms Bruce went into an early lead and stayed well ahead of the others during the entire voting.

Valentine's Restaurant by Mr Chou was second with 315 votes, and third went to I Found Jurassic Park an installation featuring clay dinosaur eggs by Mr Chan with 252 votes.

Ms Bruce, who was also a finalist at last year's Art Awards, does her art at IDEA Services Tararua Day Base, Masterton.

In her artist statement, the artist said: "I would like to live in Rainbow Land and paint and paint and paint".

Her mother Neeltje Bruce says she seems to live like that anyway.

"She has been painting since she could hold a pencil and that is all she does. She does it in her room; she does it wherever she is. She has got a pink craft bag that is full of felts and that goes pretty well everywhere."

Mrs Bruce said Jayne has a very strong sense of colour and Rainbow Land is her creation.

"It's somewhere inside her. She has always put the most outrageous colours together and they look fantastic."

Jayne Bruce will be presented with the People's Choice Award and her prize of $1000 today at the IHC Art Awards at the Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington.